The RTL report on the unemployed and the long-term sick who, for years, knowingly combine an allowance with social benefits sparked strong reactions among the public. It put its finger on the wound. It seemed that only a few people in the Rue de la Loi were surprised.
MR President Georges-Louis Bouchez, who lives in a region where only one in two people work, was not. “Throughout the entire election campaign, I denounced this problem. Today we pay far too much tax while a large share of public money is wasted on social fraud like this.” He describes this system as “the business model of misery, the business model of the left”. Because trade unions and health insurance funds profit from it. Parties like the PS, PTB and Ecolo win votes from it. And benefit claimants and certain associations take advantage of it. For the MR, far more reforms are therefore needed, which will allow us to collect much less tax.”
“With the government, we will also limit the social benefits that people can combine with an allowance. For example, social housing, a social energy tariff, cheaper medicines, telephone, public transport or childcare. This leads some people to deliberately choose not to work, because they see no point in it.”
“Too few people are working, and the state spends too much money. That explains our poor budgetary situation,” says Mr Bouchez. “So we must get more people into work and reduce public spending. And therefore not once again go after the money of those who work, save and invest. They have had enough of all the taxes they must pay. And they are right, because they are being penalised, even though they keep our country running.”